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April 2018--A Marriage Market

Because wannabe grandparents are so anxious for their children to find a mate, they come by the thousands every weekend to JongShan Park next to the Forbidden City and advertize for a mate for their son or daughter. In the rural areas, there are 30-40 million too many men, due to the 1979 one-child policy and rural families believing a son is better than a daughter. Now, there are no women to marry in the countryside. In the cities, it's not that way, but young men and young women are not getting married and producing those precious grandchildren.

It so happens that a famous LDS landmark exists exactly where the marriage market takes place. The tree under which David O. McKay offered a dedicatory prayer, was right in the thick of the action. When we single adult advisers took our single men and women to the park to see the tree, little did we know we were taking them to a marriage market.

At our apartment are Kevin Earl, Paul, Sabrina, Eketzel, Emily, Charles and Wei Su (also Laraine in the middle) We love these people!

The famous tree. Take no notice of all the activity around the tree -- the buying and selling of marriage aged children. 

Listening to a reading of the description of the area in historic records while fending off curious bystanders who wonder if we have brought eligible marriage candidates.

These "ads" include a son or daughter's height, weight, skills, education level, etc. After taking this picture, these men were anxious to see if I was married and where I was from. When I told them I was American and that my wife was over "yonder," they lost interest. I don't know if it was being American or being married that turned them away. 

Imagine the dedication of these parents who bring these ads every week. 

They all look eligible for marriage, right? These are some of the YSA's and singles from our Branch

Chuck with the Bennetts, District President and wife. 

April 2018--Llama Temple

If you ever have just an hour or two and want to see a beautiful Buddhist temple, try the Llama Temple (or Yong He Gong). It is perfect, but not too large to see in a hurry.

Apparently, there are some scriptures sealed up in this box. Hmm . . . 

You can tell how important a building is by the number of little roof animals there are to protect it. Literally, an 8-animal roof means the building was especially important . . possibly where the emperor himself would come. 

Mar. 2018--Jeremy and Rozana Come to Visit China

It's always great to have family come see how we are living in China. Jeremy and Rozana showed up.

Great Wall at Badaling, near Beijing

Walking near Forbidden City

Getting ready to watch the acrobat show. Chuck, quit looking so serious. 

Peking Duck with the Peltons and the Martins. Jeremy and Rozana were in for a treat. 

Hiking the Great Wall

Jeremy and Rozana enjoying the WALL

Subway ride after a long day

Temple of Heaven

Two lovebirds land on the Temple of Heaven

Feb. 2018--Faces of Vietnamese Women

Outside the Vietnam Women's Museum in Hanoi, there was an exhibit of portraits. Laraine became very emotional looking at these women. What a fascinating museum, even if you don't particularly like museums! When it came to Vietnamese women's contributions in the war effort (the "War of American Agression" or Vietnam War), Chuck had to leave the exhibits because anything Vietnam-war-related causes him to be very emotional. Between the wrinkles on the faces of these portraits, you can see strength, dignity, determination, heartache, adversity, joy, playfulness, and so much more. So between the two of us, we were in tears much of the time.

Look at those hands!

Feb. 2018--Hanoi Water puppets and Video of Street Traffic

Hanoi is enchanting. We visited around "Tet Week" which is the Chinese New Year. It was a very cultural, enlightening experience . . much different than we expected. What an amazing trip! 

Lively streets and vendors!

Weather was comfortable, but slightly cool. No problem for our Canadian friends, the Peltons, who were with us on this trip. 

Leslie is a bit pensive as she thinks about crossing the street. In Hanoi, you cannot wait for a break in traffic to cross. . you simply have to start walking and wave your arms BIG, to show the scooter drivers you mean to cross in front of them. It is unnerving at first, but you do get used to it. 

Tim and Leslie Pelton teach in Beijing with us. They are at Peking University.

Families all over Vietnam get dressed in their finest clothing during the holiday week and travel on scooter to restaurants and other family members' homes. This little girl enjoyed her walk with grandma and grandpa dressed so "Vietnam-esy" They were good sports when we asked to take their picture. 

Laraine in the lobby of our hotel.

Across the street from our little hotel. 

We ended up eating at McDonalds because all the restaurants were full on the holiday.

A typical wait at the light

A water puppet show. Hard to describe. Techniques are handed down within certain families for centuries, and kept secret. 

One of the many puppets performing. How they manipulate the puppets underwater is a mystery.

An entire cast of animals, people and even fish make up the water puppet show. We didn't understand the language, but it was fun to watch. 

Puppeteers come out for an ovation at the end of the show. 

These delightful hotel staff people were so sweet.

We just sat by a lake in the center of town and took pictures.

Eating outside is a local favorite. These tiny tables and chairs are difficult for big Westerners to deal with.